MAJOR FORCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1943, Page 3

MAJOR FORCE

POSSIBILITY OF ATTACK ON AUSTRALIA COMMENT ON OFFICIAL STATEMENT. CLARIFICATION SOUGHT (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, March 1. Significantly, the warning is listed under the heading of “Australia.” The spokesman at General McArthur’s headquarters faced a barrage of questions from war correspondents follow; ing the release of the communique, but he declined to amplify the official statement. Nothing in this announcement indicates a belief by the military intelligence of whether the massing of Japanese strength is offensively or defensively designed. However, it is known that the enemy’s force is of such proportions that it could be employed offensively. Correspondents who sought clarification of the statement that an assemblage of major force indicated that the enemy “is taking up position in readiness,” were told that this military phase could mean that preparations were for either offensive or defensive. Thus the existing military situation as revealed by today’s communique is unchanged from that reported during February by your correspondent. War correspondents interpret the communique statement as implying that Japan’s main reinforcements are being sent to the South-West Pacific and that enemy strength has been diverted to this area from other theatres. This is thought to comprise mainly ground and air reinforcements. While considerable numbers of Japanese transports and some warships are still in the waters around New Britain and the northern Solomons, enemy naval strength is not believed to be so great as when the Japanese fleet declined the challenge of Admiral Halsey’s forces a few weeks ago. While a Japanese concentration in the South-West Pacific area has been known for several weeks, it is felt in Australia that this unprecedented official headquarters asknowledgment of the existing threat must bring home to Washington and London the fact that the Japanese menace in the southern Pacific is far from being lifted. Some Australian observers are now discussing the possibility of full-scale enemy attacks against New Guinea or northern Australia. These conjectures recall last week’s statement by the New York Herald-Tribune’s” SouthWest Pacific war correspondent, Louis Sebring, that a new Japanese southward drive was “imminent.” Sebring gave the first week in March as a likely period for- the move (to coincide with the fortieth birthday of the Empress Nagako), but said that the direction of that threat was not clear. Major Fielding Eliot, American military expert, is among the commentators who consider that there is a possibility of attack, most likely against northern Australia, where large protecting Allied naval forces would be unable to manoeuvre in the enemycontrolled waters of the Banda and Arafura Seas. MINISTER’S WARNING ENEMY STRIKES IN MOST UNEXPECTED PLACES. AUSTRALIA MUST BE READY. CANBERRA, March 1. Signs of a big Japanese concentration in the great arc of island bases

north of Australia have brought a fresh warning today from the Australian Army Minister, Mr Forde. He pointed out that the Japanese always struck in the most unexpected places and Australia must be ready for any eventuality.